After The End
by OLDTHINGSNEWTHINGS
Summary: This Fic takes place after the end of the Supernatural series. It depicts how I would like to see the series end, (In Chapter One), and continues with the storyline from there.
1. Chapter 1

Rain pounds against the roof of a secluded log cabin, as thunder shakes its foundation.

Dean Winchester stares out the aged glass window panes blankly, as rattle with the force of the storm

He keeps a near constant watch over the pathway into his little hermitage; he has to. Thousands of monsters, demons, angels, and hunters, constantly pursue him.

They want to kill him, or worse: Use him as a weapon for their own demented holy wars.

Dean has seen enough violence in his day, and as a result is quite content to spend the rest of eternity right here.

The only drawback to his life of solitude is, of course, that he has not seen his brother in nearly eighteen years.

After they won the infamous 'Final War', heaven vs. hell vs. humanity, Sam and Dean had parted ways, never to speak again.

Dean chose a life of isolation, where he could avoid bringing the all the forces of hell down on his brother; and he sincerely hoped Sam had finally settled down and stopped hunting, like he'd always dreamed.

Of course, he missed his brother every day; but the desire for Sam's company was not as strong as the desire for his safety.

...

Dean blinks into the void, and his eyes flash to a dangerous black, as his senses pick up the tell-tale creaking of his door hinges.

He wheels about, first blade drawn, only to be stopped short in shock. A soaking wet and shivering young girl stands in his open doorway, holding up her hands submissively.

She is petite, with golden blonde hair, and painfully familiar gray green eyes.

"Dean Winchester?" She pants.

"Who wants to know?" Dean responds, preparing for a fight. Young or not, he had seen too many innocent looking 'little girls' tear a person to shreds in his day.

"My name is Mary." She steps forward tentatively, pulling a worn leather journal out of her satchel, "Mary Winchester."

"Mary Winchester?" Dean mouths to himself, unable to get the words to form properly into a question.

The girl hands him the journal, and pulls a crumpled photo out of her pocket. "You _are_ my Uncle Dean, I recognize you from the pictures. Please, I need your help!"

Dean feels numb, as he processes the news. _Mary Winchester...Uncle Dean..._ That must mean-

"_**No**_-" he suddenly breaks into disturbing laughter. "That bastard actually did it! He settled down, had a kid even?!"

"I... I don't think you're listening." Mary stammers. "I really need your help..."

"Didn't your dad tell you kid?" Dean tries to shrug it off, "I'm retired."

Mary struggles to make her soft voice heard over the crackling thunder, "Please, You have to listen to me-"

"Look, you can't be here, Mary. It's dangerous." Dean cuts in, a slight hint of his irritation creeping into his voice. "Your dad would be _pissed_!"

"Mary's head lowers, and her lower lip quivers.

The room falls deathly silent, as Dean waits for her to speak.

"_Uncle Dean, Dad's on a hunting trip_, _and he hasn't been home in a_ _few days_..."

...

"To be continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

Dean brushes the Impalas hood reverently, "Your dad's taking pretty good care of her huh?" He murmurs to Mary over his shoulder.

"Please." Mary rolls her eyes, still panting from the mile hike back down the mountain, and to the parking lot where she'd left Baby, "I mean, she was in our garage with a cover over her for years, until I nagged him into giving her to me for my sixteenth. She's been mine ever since."

"Ah." Dean climbs in the passenger seat, "Well then, _you've_ taken good care of her. Glad to see she's being put to use."

They pull onto the highway, and Mary slips into a trance, staring blankly at the road as she drives.

"So... Does your mom know you're here?" Dean breaks the silence, as the smell of old car and exhaust fills his lungs, bringing back unwelcome memories.

Mary does not respond, or acknowledge Dean's question.

"Mary?" He waves his hand in front of her face, effectively pulling her back from her reverie.

"Hm?" She blinks, shaking her head minutely.

"Your mom-" Dean repeats annoyedly, "Does she know you're here?"

"Sorry," Mary smiles over at Dean. "I doubt it. She's dead."

"Oh." He mutters, rubbing the back of his neck, "How-"

"Giving birth to me." Mary stares ahead again, her fists tightening on the wheel. "Never knew her."

Dean's heart drops, as he imagines Sam left alone with Mary, no wife or mother to care for them. The pain is all too familiar for him. "Is that why your dad started hunting again?"

"Again?"

"Yeah, I always thought, ya know, he'd settle down... Live a normal life..."

Mary guffaws, "Normal? Uncle Dean, normal isn't an attainable goal in this family."

"So, you've hunted your whole life too then?" Dean inquires.

"Oh, God _no_." She snorts, "Dad tries, bless his heart. He desperately wants to keep me from it all. I mean, he trained me to fight, protect myself, but _hunt_? Never."

"Sounds like him." Dean shifts restlessly in his seat, "He wants you to have the life he couldn't."

"I get that, I do, but it's not a life I'm interested in." Mary brushes a piece of dust off the dash, and continues, "I mean, how can I be? How does someone know what's out there, and continue with their life like everything's fine? It makes schoolwork and teenage problems seem kind of trivial, ya know?"

"I know what you mean kid." Dean grimaces at the skyline of the city they are quickly approaching. "You don't see the world without looking for the monsters in it."

"Exactly." Mary slows to match the 40mph speed limit sign, "You know, I had a bad feeling about this hunt. I begged dad to let me come with him; bugged the shit out of him, and he still refused. Now I have no clue where he is, and-" she cuts off, her voice quivering.

"We'll find him."Dean reassures her "Hell, he's probably waiting at your house right now for you to come home, so he can ground you for sneaking out."

"_Maybe_."

After two more hours of driving, and some sporadic uncomfortable conversation, they finally pull into the paved driveway of a small gray two story house.

"Home sweet home." Mary sighs. "Dad's car isn't here."

Dean climbs out, stretching his legs, and looking the house over. "It's so..."

"Suburban?" Mary offers.

"I guess." He shrugs.

Mary unlocks the door, and motions Dean through. As soon as he steps on the welcome mat his progress is halted. "Seriously?" He scowls.

"Oh, sorry!" Mary lifts the corner of the mat and scrapes away a part of the demon trap beneath it with her blade, so that they can move into the living room. "That'll probably happen a lot. Dad has this house riddled with traps and sigils. Pretty much the only supernatural being who can get in or out of here without incident is-"

"_**MARY ALEXANDRIA WINCHESTER**_!"

A loud voice echoes through the house, shaking the walls, and causing some loose plaster dust to rain down around their heads.

"_Shit_." Mary squeaks, ducking cautiously, as the front door bursts open.

Dean reacts immediately, shoving Mary behind him protectively, and drawing the first blade from its sheathe, taking a fighting stance.

His eyes flash to a dangerous black, as he squints into the bright doorway.

As the light dies down, Dean's arms fall to his side limply.

"_Hey Uncle Cas_." Mary shuffles guiltily, but Castiel is no longer focused on her.

His steel blue eyes are locked onto the demon across from him.

Mary begins to panic, fearing a demon on angel beat down might ensue, "So... I found Uncle Dean..." She tries to alleviate the tension.

Neither of the supernatural beings move for nearly a minute, and finally it is Cas who breaks the silence, smiling widely. "Dean!"

The distance between them closes quickly, as they embrace. "I've missed you brother." Cas says roughly.

Dean pulls away, holding him at arms length, and looking him over, "How've you been buddy?!"

"I've been well," Cas grins, then focuses his attention on Mary, who is attempting to slink from the room, "No thanks to _you_, young lady!"

She cringes, and turns back toward them slowly, "Yeah... Sorry about that."

"_**Sorry**_?!" Cas glowers, "Do you realize how worried I've been?! It's bad enough I have to babysit you, but then you disappear without a trace?!"

"I mean... I left a note..."

Cas strides over to her, and pulls her sleeve back; revealing a line of sigils up her wrist and forearm. "Well this explains why I couldn't find you." He scowls.

"Yeah... again, just- _reeeeally_ sorry about that." Mary gingerly slides her arm out of his grasp, and stuffs her hands in her pocket. "But I need to find dad..."

"He's only been gone for a week." Cas sighs dramatically, "He's probably fine."

"No he isn't. He hasn't called for _two_ days." She snaps, "He _**always**_ calls. You know something is wrong, you're just trying to spare me. Save it, I'm seventeen years old, and I deserve to be a part of this."

Castiel bites his lip for a moment, before visibly giving in, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Mary, I have my best Angels on it, but we can't find your dad."

"I figured that." She lifts her chin defiantly, "That's why I went to get Uncle Dean."

"How did you locate Dean?" Cas raises his eyebrows disbelievingly. "Not even I could do that."

"I have something you don't, Uncle _Assbutt_."

She smirks. "Winchester blood."

"You certainly do have that." Cas rolls his eyes. "It's the only explanation for your stubbornness and ignorance."

"It's also the only way blood magic can be performed." She grins. "Which is how I found Dean, and how I _tried_ to find dad. It didn't work as well in dads case, someone must have been warding the spell off. I did narrow it down to the city though, and from there I figured out who dad was hunting."

"You wanna enlighten us, kid?" Deans gravelly voice cuts in, as he picks up a family photo from the mantelpiece, studying it closely.

"He was hunting a demon named Auceps."

"Auceps?" Dean looks up disbelievingly, "That is literally Latin for '_trapper_'."

"Which dad would have known." She nods brusquely, "So either he didn't think it was relevant, or he knew something we didn't. I'm gonna go with the second."

"Right." Dean sets the picture down. "What city?"

"Mooresville, Missouri." She scoops her keys up off the floor where she'd dropped them, and opens the front door. "So, let's get going."

As they file out the door Cas mumbles something along the lines of, '_That girl will undoubtedly be the death of me.'_

"I just hope we aren't the death of _her_." Dean says under his breath in response.

Cas glances back at Dean grimly, nodding in agreement.

Mary's face, however, is alight with excitement and hope, as she climbs into the drivers seat, "Let's go get dad." She breathes, cranking Baby's engine to life.


	3. Chapter 3

Blood sprays though the lobby of the bank, as Sam slings the demon blade violently.

"Restrain him boys!" Auceps' voice thunders through the abandoned bank building, as demons flock toward Sam.

Sam cries out defiantly, thrusting the blade into one demon after the next; but there are too many. He is overpowered, and everything fades to darkness.

When he comes too, he is tied to a chair, back in the vault that has been his prison for nearly four days.

"I want additional restraints, chains at the hands and ankles." Auceps orders the demons that are reinforcing Sam's bonds.

Aucep's turns, making his way back through the vault door, his second in command skulking closely behind him, "Scaeuolus, can you tell me how a fifty year old mortal, weakened from two days torture, escaped in the first place?" He scowls.

"He's a Winchester, sir. We were prepared for this possibility, and we checked the problem." Scaeuolus replies nervously.

"See that it does not happen again." Auceps enters a back office of the bank, and sits behind the desk, folding his hands before him. His eyes focus on the two solemn demons before him, dressed in security officers uniforms and headsets.

"Sir," one of them steps forward, addressing Auceps, "We have news."

Auceps nods vaguely toward him, encouraging him to continue.

"The Winchesters are coming."

...

Mary leans over the seat of the Impala, sticking her head between Cas and Dean. "Guys, I'm starving."

"Oh, right, humans are into eating." Dean grins, and scans the one-mile to exit sign they are passing. "There's a diner off this exit, you wanna eat there?"

"I'd eat road kill at this point." She shrugs.

They pull into the diner lot, and file in, Dean in front of Mary, and Castiel behind; both of them looking around warily.

"We're still two hours away, _relax_." Mary sniffs, "There won't be any of Auceps men here."

"You see them?" Dean whispers to Castiel, as Mary approaches the counter to her food.

Cas nods solemnly, letting his Angel blade slide down his is sleeve into his waiting palm.

Dean instinctively reaches for the First Blade, as a demon across the counter makes the first move, clawing for Mary's raincoat.

She reacts immediately, dropping out of the jacket, and sliding her arms through the sleeves. "Keep it." She snaps acerbically, scrambling backward behind Dean.

Dean swipes over the cash register, hooking his hand around the offending demons neck, and pulling him forward into the First Blade's deadly power.

As the demon flickers and dies, everyone else in the diner, customers and service staff alike, stand in unison, their eyes flashing black.

"_Bring it_." Dean matches the darkness in their eyes quickly, and raises the blood soaked First Blade.

The demons move in cautiously, none of them anxious to be the first to strike.

Castiel positions himself back to back with Dean, so that Mary is safe between them.

Finally the demons seem to decide to move in all at once, and madness ensues. Bodies light up and burn out, as the smell of burnt flesh fills the diner.

Within seconds, Dean and Cas stand victorious, surrounded by bodies and covered in blood.

Mary stands shakily, and begins picking through the corpses.

"What in God's name are you _doing_?" Cas grimaces.

"Looking for... _This_!" She pries a demon blade from one of the deceased's bloody hand. "I get the feeling I'm gonna need it."

"Oh f'... _No_." Dean makes a grab at the knife, but Mary moves her hand quickly. "Mary, you are _not_ fighting. One of the only reasons you were allowed to come is because you agreed to let us do the dirty work."

"For self defense, uncle Dean." Mary winks. "Just in case."

"I- okay." He resigns. "But don't go looking for trouble kid. Let the immortals handle the fighting."

"Naturally." She stuffs the blade in her boot, and snags a bag of chips off the counter, while Dean breaks into the back room.

"Let's get moving." He orders, shoving a wad of black shiny film in his coat pocket as he emerges from the room, and steps over a twisted corpse.

Once they are back on the road, Mary settles in; contentedly munching on her pilfered prize. "Hey, Uncle Dean?" She breaks from her snack, leaning over the front seat.

"Hm?"

"What was it like, hunting with dad?" She asks dreamily.

"It was shitty." He answers without hesitation. "See, I feel like you've got the wrong idea about hunting. I get it, you've been told all these amazing tails, it's all been romanticized for you, but it's literally _shit_. Everything about that life is pain, and loss. The way you feel; that gnawing fear in your stomach that you'll never see your dad again? _That's_ what hunting is."

Mary slumps back in her seat; clearly disappointed that Dean's answer was not a miraculous tail of her father's bravery.

Dean catches a glimpse of her morose face in the rearview, and sighs, "Don't get me wrong kid, your dad's a _freakin'_ genius. He's a kick ass hunter, probably the best one in existence, but he hated every minute of it. Saving people, hunting things, it's _not_ a rewarding business. It'll eventually kill you, and everyone you love. The best you can hope for is that you'll get lucky and go before they do. Because, trust me, it hurts a lot worse to lose them, than it does to die."

"_Daaaaamn,_ you're a buzz kill." She scowls, making herself horizontal in the front seat, and lifting the demon blade up to inspect it.

"_Honesty_ is a huge buzz kill." Dean corrects her, squinting as the light reflected from the twisting blade hits him in the eyes. "But you need to hear it."

"I guess." She mumbles, closing her eyes, and drifting off to sleep.

...

"Sir?" Scaeuolus pokes his head around the door nervously, and addresses his boss.

"Scaeuolus?" Auceps stands to his feet. "You have news of the Winchesters?"

"The scouting team did not return. I sent Aaron to check on them, and he found that they have been slain." Scaeoulus explains, entering, and closing the door behind him.

"So then, Dean Winchester is with the girl." Auceps nods his understanding.

"And the Angel Castiel." Scaeoulus adds.

"Well then," He straitens his tie, and strides toward the door, "It looks like we have our work cut out for us."

...

The Impala squeals to a stop just inside the town limit of Mooresville, and the three companions climb out, moving in unison toward the woods that line the highway.

Mary's knuckles whiten as she clutches her demon blade with her shaking hand.

"Are you afraid?" Cas inquires softly, as he strides up beside her.

"A little… " She admits, lifting her face so that the fire in her eyes becomes obvious. "But I'm mostly pissed. I want my dad back."

"Let's get him then." Dean smirks, moving past them quickly, and reaching around a massive tree ahead.

A demon screeches as he pulls her around the tree by her hair, throwing her to the ground roughly, and pinning her down with his knees. "_**Where is he**_?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" The demon hisses.

Dean rolls his eyes dramatically, and slides the First blade out of his belt. He twists it with flare, and grins wickedly, "I think you do."

"_Winchester_!" Her face turns pallid, and she struggles with all her might.

"DAMN STRAIT BITCH!" He backhands her so powerfully that her head snaps to the side, and the sound of the strike echoes through the woods loudly. "WHERE IS MY _BROTHER_?!"

"Kill meeeee!" Her cry breaks into disturbing laughter, "_You-hull-hull have to kill me WINCHESTER!"_

"Oh trust me, I won't," Deans lips curl upward wickedly, "Cas, take Mary toward town.

_I'll catch up_."

The demon's muffled cries of pain cause Mary to cringe, as Castiel rushes her away. "God, he really can be scary when he wants to be." She shivers.

"That's one of the reasons he chose to leave." Castiel nods, picking up the pace. "Your uncle may _seem_ well put together, he can manage his condition with a steady regiment of human blood, so that he is nearly human. Make no mistake, however, he _is_ still a demon. Torture comes as a great pleasure to him, and if he isn't careful, the ones he loves can suffer for it."

Mary stretches her legs to keep up with her escort, eager to escape the cries of the tortured demon.

Before long Dean appears in front of them; still black eyed, with blood splatter decorating his clothes and face. His shoulders are tensed for attack, and he is practically panting with bloodlust.

Mary tucks her face into Castiel's coat; unable to stomach the sight.

Wrapping a comforting arm about Mary, Cas uses his free hand to toss a handkerchief toward Dean, "Compose yourself."

"_Oh_, right." Dean realizes, wiping his face and sleeves, then tucking the bloody rag in his pocket.

His eyes return to their original green, while Cas shakes Mary gently to alert her it's okay to look.

"Sorry." She murmurs, "Guess that wasn't very bad ass of me."

"No, _I'm_ sorry." Dean chuckles, "I forget you're still green."

"Sam?" Cas inserts eagerly.

"Right," Dean shakes his head, refocusing, "Auceps has him at a condemned bank building downtown. Shouldn't be hard to find. The kid can stay here and wait for us."

Mary shakes loose of Castiel's grasp, and squares her shoulders. "I know I sort of panicked just now, but I know how to fight. Dad taught me, and I'm not afraid."

"Look, Mary, I believe you." Castiel arranges himself in front of her, looking down with worried eyes.

"But?" She prompts morosely.

"_But_, your dad could be hurt, and Dean and I need to be one hundred percent focused on saving him. We can't do that if we are worried about you..."

"Oh." Mary's shoulders slump. "That makes sense, I guess."

"Good." Cas pats her on the shoulder, pleased that she isn't fighting him. "Wait here, if you see a demon, hide. Do _not_ engage. We will be back as soon as we possibly can."

"Got it." She nods briskly.

She sits cross-legged in the leaves, watching closely as her chaperones disappear into the forest.

_"One... Two... Three..."_ She counts to sixty, before standing to her feet. _"Like I'm letting you have all the fun." _She murmurs, pulling her pilfered blade from her boot, and making her way after the men.

She makes it nearly ten steps, when a pallid hand shoots out of the shadow of a nearby bramble, snagging her by her flowing hair.

"_You'll pay!_" Dean's unwilling informant gurgles, as blood pours from her gaping mouth.

Mary tries to scream, but no sound can make it past the lump in her throat.

The demon drags her backward several steps, before she finds footing in the soft underbrush.

As the adrenaline begins to coarse through her veins, she twists slicing out with the demon blade.

The demon's hand drops to the ground, severed clean through. A powerful gush of blood from her radial artery soaks Mary's face, and fills her mouth.

Mary coughs and sputters, spitting the warm liquid out in disgust.

The demon stumbles back in obvious shock, staring at Mary wide-eyed.

"_He left you alive_." Mary utters in disbelief. "_Why_?!"

"Killing me would have been a mercy." The demoness cackles, fading into a broken cough. "Now I must face my master."

"Good point." Mary circles, approaching her from behind, and pulling her head back by her matted hair. "Let me show you some kindness then."

She rips through her attackers throat with her knife, and the demon flickers and dies.

"I'm _not_ afraid of you." Mary stands, wiping the blood from her face, and turning toward the forest.

She raises her voice in an obstinate challenge, "I'll do what it takes to find my dad, even if I have to kill every last one of you assholes!"


	4. Chapter 4

Mary's chest heaves, as she pushes through the last stretch of forest top speed.

In hindsight, she can see that challenging every demon within earshot to '_come at her_' might have been a poor choice.

"Come here you little brat!" A gigantic, brutish demon with a thick British accent reaches for her, snagging her by the hood of her coat.

She digs her heels in, coming to a compete stop, and spinning about. The demons momentum carries him forward, and she uses that force to thrust her demon blade deep between his ribcage.

An internal firestorm lights up his frame, as he falls forward onto Mary, pinning her to the ground.

She slides her limbs underneath the demon and roots her body into the leafs as deep as the soft earth will allow.

"She got Malcolm!" Mary hears a female demon call out, "This way!"

Thankfully, demons have no concern for their own dead, and they leave Malcolm face down, continuing toward town after Mary.

Several beats after the demons footsteps fade Mary allows herself to exhale, pushing the demons corpse off of her.

"Way to go, _Moron_." She chides herself, as she continues toward town; more cautiously this time.

Once she reaches the tree line, she crouches in a bush; scoping out the area before emerging.

For some reason she expected a ghost town populated entirely by demons; instead she finds a calm suburban area, with flocks of bustling people going about their daily business unknowingly.

Mary moves along the edge of the woods, until the trees come close to the back of a grocery store. Finally, she manages to slip out, unnoticed.

She pulls her coat off, using it to wipe her blood encrusted face, and discarding it in a nearby dumpster.

Hoping that she looks presentable enough not to horrify the locals, she enters the grocery store, and approaches a stock boy.

"Excuse me, I'm from out of town, and I'm supposed to be meeting a friend at a shop. The thing is, I can't remember the name of it."

"Whereabouts is it?" He asks helpfully.

"Uhm... Good question..." She chuckles, "She mentioned it being near an empty bank building?"

"Oh! She must be talking about Morris Department Store." The boy winks. "Two blocks down, turn right at the light, and three more blocks will get you there."

"Thanks!" Mary grins, and makes her way out the door, trying not to break into a run.

...

Castiel and Dean circle the First National bank building, crouched low, scouting the premises.

"You realize that there's no way Mary stayed in the woods, right?" Dean mutters under his breath.

"I would expect nothing less of her." Cas whispers, "She is _your_ niece. That's why we need to get in and out as quickly as possible; if we want to keep her out of the fray."

"I'm with ya there buddy." Dean brusquely nods his agreement. "What are we looking at here?"

"No warding sigils." Cas murmurs, sliding the tips of his fingers along the brick wall slowly. "They are definitely expecting us after what happened at the diner. This is, no doubt, a trap."

"Right." Dean grimaces, as he slides the first blade from its sheathe. "I guess there's no use sneaking around then. Let's get this over with before Mary shows."

They stand, straitening their strained shoulders, and striding to the front door candidly, no longer bothering to hide their intent.

They inhale deeply in unison, preparing to plunge into battle, as Dean forces the door open with a compelling heave of his heel.

The sound of the splintering door reverberates through the dusty bank lobby, but no response is forthcoming.

"Knock knock bitches!" Deans throaty voice echoes loudly off the marble-esque columns.

Still no reply.

"Dean, I have a bad feeling abo-" Before Castiel can finish voicing his concern, a ring of holy fire flickers to life around him, holding him at bay.

"Cute." Dean chuckles sardonically, starting toward his ensnared comrade.

"Wait!" Cas holds his hand out, motioning toward the ceiling, "Don't move closer. I'm surrounded by demon traps."

Deans eyes trail upward, and he nods his understanding. The ceiling is riddled with traps, placed so that only a thin pathway winds through them, for Auceps and his lackeys to use as needed. "Huh. Rude welcome." He grouses, moving onto the pathway cautiously.

He moves further into the center of the bank, keeping a cautious eye out. "Sammy?" He calls tentatively.

No answer.

"Uh... Dean?" Cas calls nervously.

Dean wheels around to find that the wall of holy fire is slowly closing in around his friend.

"Shit." He scowls, making way back toward Cas as quickly as possible, while still avoiding the traps.

"No, keep going!" Cas decides. "You wouldn't make it to me anyway with the traps! You can't help."

Dean stares at Cas painstakingly, before turning away.

Castiel watches through the flames as Dean makes his way through the swinging double doors, then he redirects his attention to his present situation.

The flames move closer and closer, until they lick at the tail of his beloved trench coat, and singe his feathers.

...

Dean moves through the double doors, trying to push Castiel out of his mind. Cas would be fine. He always pulls through.

"Deserting a friend in need, oh Winchester, how deplorable." A voice seeps through the room, turning Dean's stomach. "Still, I shouldn't be surprised. Leaving those that need you... Running away; It's what you do best..."

Deans eyes flash black, as he searches for the source of the taunts. "_**WHERE IS MY BROTHER?!"**_

"Why would you care?" Auceps steps into the light from a shadowed corner, a false smile painted across his face. "You left him, remember? You didn't care when he lost his wife, you didn't care when he went back to hunting, or any of the dozens of times he has neared deaths doors in the interim. Why do you care now?"

"I don't have time for games, Auceps." Dean moves forward, blade raised. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I already _have_ what I want." Auceps gestures to Dean grandly. "You're mine."

"Oh really? How d'you figure?" Dean shakes his head, "I mean, yeah, I'm here, in the room, but what does that mean? Not a _DAMNED_ thing. I'm stronger than you.

So, congratulations, you caught a tiger in a mouse trap."

"I have you, because I have _him_." A door in the back of the room bursts open, and Sam is lead through it, a shimmering blade pressed to his jugular by Scaeuolus.

It first Dean is taken aback.

His brother is so... _worn_. His eyes are tired, with crows feet lining them. His hair is graying slightly, and his shoulders are slumped.

Dean shakes his head, and growls under his breath, instinctively lurching forward.

"_Ah ah ah_." Auceps waves his forefinger warningly. "Don't move."

Scaeuolus increases the pressure on the blade, until a thin red stream of blood trickles down Sam's neck.

Dean stops cold, turning toward Auceps. "_I'll kill you. I'll rip you apart with my bare hands." _

Auceps ignores the threat, motioning to a bare spot in the corner of the room, underneath a crimson demon trap. "If you would be so kind."

Dean strides into the demon trap without hesitation, and turns toward Sam, as his mind races to find a way out of this mess.

...

Castiel can no longer see through the flames, as the smoke fills his eyes and lungs bringing him to his knees.

"_Uncle Cas?_!"

"**_Mary_**?" Cas strains his ears, struggling to his feet again.

"Oh shit!" Mary flits around the flames, her hands outstretched, uncertain of how to help. She stops for a moment, and inhales. "_Okay_, I can do this."

Her eyes trail around the room searching the walls frantically.

Finally, she finds her mark, and nearly flies across the lobby, wrapping her fingers around a red lever, and pulling down with all her might.

A shrill fire alarm rings out, and, much to Mary's relief, the sprinklers flicker to life, spraying water down on them.

She makes her way back to Castiel, nearly wiping out, as her wet sneakers slide on the tile; while lobby fills with soggy demons, searching for the cause of the disturbance.

As the holy fire flickers out, Cas straitens, his eyes flashing a dangerous blue, as his dark wings stretch out in a threat display.

The demons stumble back, but not soon enough. Castiel flies at them, his angel blade reflecting the red emergency lights from across the room.

With a burst of blue light, the demons are thrown lifeless to the ground.

...

"Auceps, you have me, now let Sam go." Dean glares hatefully from his corner.

"Do you really think me that foolish?" Auceps grimaces, "I know the stories, Dean. One Winchester brother will always come for the other. I can't afford to have Sammy here nipping at my heels.

Besides, I can _hardly_ break up a set. Your heads will go nicely together, mounted on my wall."

Dean snarls with rage, pushing the boundaries of his trap with all his might.

"Don't strain yourself. It won't do any-" A screaming alarm interrupts Auceps monologue, and lights go out. Red emergency lights flash on, as water rains down from the ceiling. "_What in all of heaven and earth is it now?!"_

As a line of demons file from the back door and into the lobby, Dean laughs, "I've got more than one brother, Auceps. _You better run_."

"Take him out the back!" Auceps barks at Scaeuolus, as he moves toward the front room.

Scaeuolus nods, backing toward the door.

Sam strains forward, "_Dean_! Dean is it Cas?!"

Dean nods.

"**Mary**?!" Sam asks frantically.

"Probably here by now." Dean frowns.

At that Sam comes to life, slamming his head back into Scaeuolus' nose, and twisting under the blade.

Scaeuolus snags Sam by the wrist, and slams his fist into the side of Sam's head.

Dean roars, struggling against his prison again, as Auceps turns back toward them, momentarily distracted.

The door to the lobby bursts open, throwing Auceps to his hands and knees, as Castiel pushes through.

Between dodging Scaeuolus' swings, Sam calls back over his shoulder, "Cas, where is Mary?!"

"_Haven't seen her._" Castiel answers, waving his hand toward the ceiling, so that he plaster crumples, breaking the demon trap, and freeing Dean.

Dean moves toward Auceps, when Scaeuolus gains the upper hand, and presses his blade to Sam's throat once more. "_DON'T MOVE!_" He hisses at Dean, "_DROP THE BLADE_!"

Dean lifts his hands, letting the first blade fall to the floor.

"Hey, _asshole!"_ Mary calls, as she pushes her way through he back door, and shoves her demon blade deep into Scaeuolus' neck in one flowing motion. "Nobody messes with my family!"

Sam rolls his captor onto the floor, and turns toward his daughter, pulling her into his arms roughly. "_Mary_," He whispers, his voice muffled by her hair, "_Are you okay_?"

"I'm fine dad. I'm okay." She nods, as tears of relief pour down her cheeks.

Dean moves swiftly, snagging Auceps by the roof of his still-gaping mouth, and slinging him through the lobby door. Auceps lands with a thud, and scoots away from Dean.

"Dean, the blade!" Castiel follows him back into the lobby, holding the blade out.

Dean shakes his head, and smiles morbidly. "I don't need it."

He steps on Auceps chest, clawing up under his jaw, and ripping his head clean off with sheer force.

Mary cringes at the spectacle, while Sam places his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Dean carries Auceps head across the lobby, and shoves it down on a spiked gate separating the cashiers desk from the main lobby. He wets his fingers in the dripping blood, and writes on the front of the marble desk:

Be Warned

"Ooo _ominous_." Sam smirks, approaching his brother, and pulling him into a bear hug. "Dean, it's good to see you."

"You too Sammy." Dean visibly relaxes, "You too."

All at once, Sam pulls away, and slugs Dean in the shoulder.

"Owe, asshole?! What was that for?!" Dean rubs his arm sorely.

"For bringing my daughter here!" Sam snaps. "Dean, how _could_ you?!"

"They didn't have a choice!" Mary intervenes. "I would have come, one way or another."

"Why did you involve her at all?!" Sam ignores her, still addressing Dean.

"_She_ found _me_?!" Dean throws his hands up defensively.

"She.. _Wha_-?"

"Come on Sam, are you really that surprised?" Castiel smiles, crossing his arms. "She ran off while I was organizing a search for you, decorated her arm with Enochian sigils so I couldn't find her, tracked Dean down, and brought him home. You think we could have kept her out of this?"

"No, I guess I'm not." Sam sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You look like shit, dude." Dean cackles, slapping his brother on the shoulder. "You need a vacation. I've been in the mountains for ages, Tahiti's sounding pretty good about now."

"Oh my god _yesssss_!" Mary practically bounces out of her shoes with excitement. "_Please_ dad?! Family vacation!"

"You mean you're not going back into hiding?" Sam raises his eyebrows.

"It doesn't seem to be doing any good." Dean shrugs. "My existence is always going to bring you trouble... Might as well be around to protect you."

"Great! Tahiti it is!" Mary dashes out the front door without another word.

"Bet you've had your hands full the last seventeen years." Dean observes.

"You have _no_ idea." Sam shakes his head, trailing after his daughter defeatedly. "Nooo idea."


End file.
